You want to be inconspicuous...

[Morris Minor]

...drive incognito... so what car would you buy? Was whiling away the boring drive home yesterday thinking about this. Maybe you are an LEO on a stakeout, or a bad guy who wants to hide in plain sight.  What's the best car for that?

Chevy Impala? Too rare.
Camry? To obvious a choice - you don't blend in in a car that everybody would choose to blend in.

My current choice is a  4-banger Altima. Kinda second string, dull, but a litttle more pizzazz than a Camry.

[MX793]

Previous generation Sonata, Chrysler Sebring/200, previous generation Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Dodge/Chrysler minivan.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I prefer a smaller car. A silver Corolla XRS with the 2ZZ-GE and turbo kit (an easy 270 hp). Badges and wheels swapped for a base model.

[Morris Minor]

Part of this thought train was kicked off by Breaking Bad, where the protagonist drives an Aztec: highly distinctive, especially in a small city like Albuquerque NM.

[Northlands]

A late 90's - earlier 2000's Cavalier.

[280Z Turbo]

So everyone who buys a Camry is hiding?

[2o6]

Chevy Equinox 3.6L. Inconspicuous and 300HP.

[MrH]

Black Honda Element

[Madman]

So, this is basically the classic "What car would you choose to commit a bank robbery?" question, right?

Okay, I'll bite.  Early 2000s Taurus in silver or grey.  They're common as muck and can be either bought dirt cheap or are easily stolen.

/ thread.

[cawimmer430]

1981 Chevrolet Caprice Classic.

Everyone will think I'm some badass Latino drug dealer from Miami and the streets will be cleared when they hear that bubbling 350cid V8 approach. 

[MX793]

1981 Chevrolet Caprice Classic.

Everyone will think I'm some badass Latino drug dealer from Miami and the streets will be cleared when they hear that bubbling 350cid V8 approach. 

The '81 Caprice wasn't offered with the 350 small block, only the weezy 305.  The 350 motor was dropped after '79 and didn't return until the 90s.

[ifcar]

The best is something common-looking but unfamiliar, I think. So not a Camry because too many people know what a Camry looks like. I'd also think it should be previous-generation car so it won't be taken for a rental. And I would also say it should be foreign so that it's not taken for a government vehicle.

Some possibilities:














And of course one of these:

[Morris Minor]

So everyone who buys a Camry is hiding?

No. But it's the stereotype anonymous appliance car, so won't make the cut here.

[Rupert]

I like Nick's idea of getting the high-spec model and de-spec-ing the looks.

I don't really pay attention to most cars, though, since they're boring, so I don't really know what's common...

[Vinsanity]

The best is something common-looking but unfamiliar,

I'd say this is the most important factor. The Prius is the best-selling car in California, but if you're spotted driving one, then game over.

My personal choice would be this:


Runner-up:

[Onslaught]

Mazdaspeed 6

[Soup DeVille]

Depends.

In NYC, I'd get a taxicab.

In suburbia, I'd get a blue chrysler minivan

[Laconian]

Hyundai Elantra from 8 years ago.

[Rupert]

I'd say this is the most important factor. The Prius is the best-selling car in California, but if you're spotted driving one, then game over.

My personal choice would be this:

Good choice.

...

What is it?

[Secret Chimp]

Genesis dawg

[Soup DeVille]

The Koreans in general do a great job of making cars that look "almost" like a lot of things. Debadge any number of Hyundais and they'll all but disappear.

[TurboDan]

Early 2000s Dodge Stratus...

[giant_mtb]

...drive incognito... so what car would you buy? Was whiling away the boring drive home yesterday thinking about this. Maybe you are an LEO on a stakeout, or a bad guy who wants to hide in plain sight.  What's the best car for that?

Chevy Impala? Too rare.
Camry? To obvious a choice - you don't blend in in a car that everybody would choose to blend in.

My current choice is a  4-banger Altima. Kinda second string, dull, but a litttle more pizzazz than a Camry.

Chevy Impala...too rare????  Half my business seems to be Impalas. lolol

[Raza]

Black Honda Element

[cawimmer430]

The '81 Caprice wasn't offered with the 350 small block, only the weezy 305.  The 350 motor was dropped after '79 and didn't return until the 90s.

[Lebowski]

Probably some kind of cute ute, honda crv or ford edge or whatever.  Those things are everywhere here and mostly driven by extremely boring moms.

[Galaxy]

An Opel Astra.

Oh, in the US, well then:




With a...




... sticker to make it realistic.

[3.0L V6]

Hmmmm....

4-door Chevrolet Cobalt SS (with the 260-hp turbocharged 2.0L) with a set of stock Cobalt wheels. It's anonymous and so bland looking that it never really made an impression on most people, so I doubt 1 person in 3 knows what a Cobalt was.

Late '90s-early 2000s Buick Regal GS with the 3.8L supercharged engine. Again, rolling anonymity, the 3.8L can be modified to produce a fair bit of power.

[MX793]

Hmmmm....

4-door Chevrolet Cobalt SS (with the 260-hp turbocharged 2.0L) with a set of stock Cobalt wheels. It's anonymous and so bland looking that it never really made an impression on most people, so I doubt 1 person in 3 knows what a Cobalt was.

Late '90s-early 2000s Buick Regal GS with the 3.8L supercharged engine. Again, rolling anonymity, the 3.8L can be modified to produce a fair bit of power.

Did they make a 4-door SS turbo?  I thought they were coupe-only.

[3.0L V6]

Did they make a 4-door SS turbo?  I thought they were coupe-only.

They sure did. Car and Driver tested it in 2009.

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/09-chevrolet-cobalt-ss-page-5